Can a sweet treat really be healthy?

One of the things that really makes this Mama smile is opening up her mailbox to find a little box, I love samples! Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to find a small triangular box sitting on top of stack of envelopes. A little green gift just for me!

During today's afternoon lull was the perfect time to try what was inside. Kashi sent me a sample of their Dark Chocolate Coconut TLC bar. I am a big fan of chocolate and coconut together, but will be honest that I was skeptical of a "healthy version" of the combo. The first bite proved me wrong, there was nothing "healthy" tasting about it in my opinion.

A thick layer of soft dark chocolate topped with coconut covered a sweet, chewy granola bar. 

The TLC description of "tasty little chewies" was right on! I was halfway through devouring the bar when I saw "fruit and grain" on the wrapper and was curious, I didn't see or taste anything that resembled fruit. I took a peek at the back of the wrapper. I was shocked to see dates as the second ingredient on the list, they did a great job sneaking that one in there! With 4 grams of fiber as well as 4 grams of protein this was the perfect snack to satisfy my sweet tooth without any guilt. It is also reassuring to know that they are free from high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors and preservatives. I am thrilled that there is a $1.00 off coupon inside my little green (recyclable of course) box, because I plan on picking up a box of these little sweeties during my next trip to the store! You can get your own coupon by checking out the TLC bars on the Kashi site.

Kashi has lots of great tips on their website including recipes, product information, and "lifestyle tools" to get you moving into a healthier 2010. You can even get your own sample of GOLEAN Crisp!™ Toasted Berry Crumble or GOLEAN Crunch!® Honey Almond Flax cereal HERE.
Here's to eating healthy in a delicious way!